A 50-year-old Moroccan man was today jailed for 10 years after he was found guilty of repeatedly raping a 14-year-old Maltese boy for four years between 2004 and 2008. 

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli jailed Hamid El Faiq despite his repeated denials, after noting that the victim, who spilled the beans on the sexual abuse when he turned 18, was consistent throughout the entire case. 

The court heard the victim explain how he had met the accused at a shop in St Paul's Bay and they became friends. He began going to the man's house after he had purchased a computer and needed help to understand how to use it. 

On one occasion, the man gave him alcohol and got him drunk but could not remember much of what had happened, except that he had engaged in sexual acts with the accused. 

Two days later, he invited him back to his house where, this time, he took him into the bedroom and raped him. He told the court that he was in a lot of pain and was warned by the accused not to tell anyone anything about what had happened. 

Sexual encounters continued even after the victim told the man to stop, the court heard. The victim started to abuse of drugs and when he refused to go back to his house, the accused threatened him that he had a video recording of their sexual encounters and would make it public if he continued to refuse so the abuse continued. The last time he was abused was three days before he filed a police report in June 2008. 

When Mr El Faiq was interrogated by the police, he said the victim had filed the report against him to get back at him because of money he owed him. No video recording was ever found by the police. 

Handing down her judgement, Magistrate Demicoli said the victim was consistent in his version of events. On the other hand, the court noted, Mr El Faiq had made several allegations of police violence that were never backed by any evidence. 

She found the man guilty of raping the boy, defiling him and participating in sexual acts with him. He was, however, cleared of holding the victim against his will after the court heard no evidence that he had in any way impeded him for leaving. 

Apart from jailing him for 10 years, the court ordered that his name be included in the sex offenders' register. 

Police inspector Melvyn Camilleri prosecuted. 

In 2010, Mr El Faiq was jailed for eight years after having been convicted of raping another 14-year-old Maltese boy who had lured to his house to show him football memorabilia.